In recent years, it has become Particularly important to provide tamperproof or tamper evident seals on containers.
To cosmetics companies involved in the sale of lipsticks or lip glosses, stick breakage is a very costly problem. Lipstick buyers are very prone to testing lipsticks right at a cosmetics counter, and often wind up the lipstick bullet to observe color, then replace the cap without completely winding the bullet down. This results in breakage of the lipstick bullet, and the product is then returned to the manufacturer.
To the best of the inventor's knowledge, tamperproof seals have not been used on lipstick product containers, although many types of tamperproof seals exist. For example, a type of tamperproof seal commonly used on many non-lipstick type products is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,456. This seal is a rectangular laminate comprised of a plastic such as polyvinyl chloride, coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. A narrow pull tab runs across the middle of the seal. The seal is applied to the container via the pressure sensitive adhesive. The pull tab, which resembles a zipper, is removed after purchase and the product container may be opened.
This seal has a number of disadvantages when considered for use in lipsticks. First, the adhesive laminate remains adhered to the container after removal of the pull tab, providing a less than aesthetically pleasing look to the lipstick container. Second, the consumer is unable to remove the top of the lipstick container to study the shade without removing the pull tab entirely, thus "opening" the product, and making it unsuitable for sale to another. Third, there is no convenient area for the placing of a UPC code.
Thus there is a need for a tamperproof lipstick seal which overcomes these drawbacks.